


Kind of Like You

by HEir (Eirons)



Category: Hetalia - Fandom, Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cutesy, Feliciano Vargas - Freeform, Flowerboy Italy, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sad boi Italy, Suit & Tie Germany, Veneziano, but we’ll see how sad, flower boy, gerita - Freeform, lovesick germany, ludwig - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-07
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-02-12 22:56:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12970221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eirons/pseuds/HEir
Summary: Ludwig suffers from an immediate attraction to the flower selling man that walks the streets in the mornings , but can he open up the heart of flower-boy Feliciano?





	1. Flower Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let’s begin with a cute meeting scene and Germany being awkward and lovesick .

He was just in time. The smell of shaved wood and honey hit him subtly, like a cloud as the cute cart toting man turned a corner to start heading in his direction.

 

His face heated at the sight of him, his over-sized peony colored shirt under similarly light blue overall shorts to show off his nice legs, his brown eyes and hair just a few shades brighter than the brown of the wooden cart he pushed around seemingly all morning.

 

Ludwig was simply smiling to himself until the man came into view and then Ludwig was awkwardly smiling at him. At least the greeting was reciprocated in a much more charming, graceful fashion as the man sped up towards him, practically bouncing as he waved wildly with one hand and pushed his cart forward with the other.

 

"Um --"

 

"Luddy, it's good to see you again!"

 

Before he was even able to try and speak, the man -- Feliciano -- had beat him to casual conversation again, he was just a natural people person. But it was hard not to notice the nickname he'd been given after only having been spotted and stopped by the man twice before. It made his face heat up unnaturally for the second time in a less than 5 minute time-span. He hoped Feliciano neither cared nor noticed the coloring of his face as he diverted his attention to the contents of the man's cart.

 

It was filled with -- overflowing with -- vibrant, tropical flowers. Tame, simple flowers. Overbearing, intricate flowers. All thrown together in one cart next to one beautiful man.

 

"See anything you like today?" Feliciano prompted, noticing Ludwig's eyes resting on a small white spiral of a flower rooted in the back corner of the cart.

 

Ludwig hummed in approval as he glanced over the cart for a second time, feigning intrigue and understanding.

 

"They look healthy, you must take good care of them."

 

Feliciano beamed at the compliment, beamed and smiled a wide sunny smile like he often would. Ludwig had often spent thoughts throughout his days on wondering whether or not it was genuine or a business practice, but enjoyed it nonetheless.

 

"Thank you, I do my best!"

 

"Um, any recommendations?"

 

A careful hand raised to his chin as he looked over his own supply of flowery foliage, glazed eyes carefully analyzing his stock before he reached in beside the small spiral flower to grab an equally small yellow flower with delicate looking petals and rich purple dots radiating out from its stigma in a soft gradient. He reached his hand out to Ludwig with the flower loose in his grip, and Ludwig let it flow into his hand -- savoring the brush of Feliciano's fingertips against his palm.

 

"It looks like you, solid base with a soft coating."

 

Ludwig looked up from the flower in his possession to the man who still smiled warmly. Often, Ludwig had been told he was the opposite -- hard exterior, soft interior --, but maybe the man who had caught his interest saw a side of him many hadn't. But that was obvious, he couldn't look into the innocent gleam of the man's eyes for more than 3 seconds before heating like the sun.

 

He couldn't stay and chat forever though, he had to go to work eventually -- even if he'd left early just to catch the flower boy at the corner.

 

"Alright, how much?" Ludwig fumbled to get his wallet out of his pocket and Feliciano laughed lightly, airily and so sweetly it made Ludwig's heart freeze and melt for a moment. He dropped his wallet.

 

"Damn."

 

He reached down to pick it up, but Feliciano was lighter and quicker, already handing it back to the slightly bent over Ludwig. He started to straighten and mumble out a thanks when Feliciano plucked the flower from Ludwig's hand and placed it behind his ear, securely tucked under a few stiff blonde locks of hair.

 

"Free of charge."


	2. Soft Shell or Soft Core

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Germany goes to work and gets made fun of and his brother scares him into action .

Unimaginable were the thoughts going through everyone's head as they watched in awe. The overbearing, stern-faced man walking through the streets head-to-toe clad in a cleanly pressed dark business suit.

 

With a pretty little flower tucked behind his ear.

 

Ludwig wondered what people were thinking, if they wondered if a daughter he didn't have had placed it in his hair before he'd left the family he'd yet to acquire with sweet kisses goodbye. If they were thinking about the soft core to his rugged appearance, or if they saw the soft petals surrounding a strong foundation Feliciano had seen.

 

He didn't spare much time on the thought, instead looping in his head an imaginary, yet probable, possibility of what mockery awaited him in his office. What did a manager look like wearing a flimsy thing like that when trying to give serious instructions and advice to a group of adults. Many of who couldn't wait to hound him and get on his nerves. But he still didn't want to take it out. As if it just happened, he could feel Feliciano's fingers tickling the peak of his ear and it made him shiver whenever it crossed his mind. He would just roll with the punches today.

 

His hand pushed on the metal bar of the glass door firmly, a copious amount of unnecessary energy exerted for the action becoming apparent as the door swung open and the eyes of everyone on the main floor of the building were on him. The looks washed over him in sync with the icy air. He hadn't been paying enough attention, instead mulling over the encounter with Feliciano and thinking about an inconspicuous entrance to the point where his body was left on his default excessive autopilot and he was left completely conspicuous.

 

He didn't falter, left no room in his mind for awkward smiling or nervous gestures as he ambled to the back of the building, turning left to the elevators where he scanned the keycard rested across his chest, hung by a lanyard and firmly in place under the overcoat of his outfit, then stepped in.

 

The brief moment of privacy left Ludwig bracing himself for when the doors opened up a few levels higher to the chaos of his team.

 

Much less chaos than usual, in their defense.

 

There was a cup strewn across the dark tile of the office hallway some paces in front of the elevator doors, a color closer to the vanilla creamer that Alfred kept stocked in the break room's cabinet rather than to the culmination of dark, bitter brew left from coffee beans Ludwig kept up with. Loud voices could be heard from behind the "soundproof" glass of the floor's meeting room that stood to the right of the elevator Ludwig stepped out of. He'd learned a long time ago that the glass, even if it had actually been soundproof, was not prepared for what it was going to be dealing with.

 

He could identify who was yelling even with just the muffled words to go off of, and a glance to his right proved his suspicions correct -- Alfred and Kirkland, the two would always argue despite their history together as adoptive family. A strange history, Ludwig did not much understand or delve into it due to respect for their privacy.

 

Him slamming open the glass door fit better with the scowl that formed on his face in the meeting room than it did with his accidental power surge downstairs, and the barked voices quieted then quelled as he entered the room, the two extras sitting in the seats around the table and enjoying the show -- Wang and Elizaveta -- snapping their heads to the side to face Ludwig too.

 

"What are you two doing?" Ludwig said, not a question and almost a growl. Alfred flinched back while Kirkland crossed his arms and huffed, furrowed brows not quite matching the intensity of Ludwig's as he responded to the him anyway.

 

"Well, I thought it would be a good idea to --"

 

"What is in your hair, dude!" Alfred unwittingly interrupted Kirkland, receiving a sharp glare from the already disgruntled imp-eyed man. A particularly bemused grin stretched Alfred's lips and he continued with his tactless resolve to point to Ludwig's dainty yellow gift. He'd really hoped it would have just blended into the blond of his hair, but it was shades brighter and accented with purple just to further bring attention to it. Just like that, he'd lost all his footing in strict fury, swapping it for a fragile calm, easily cracked.

 

Kirkland covered his mouth to stifle a chuckle that still found its way out, and Ludwig could see Eliza's hands reached for her pocket, for her phone to take a picture.

 

"I -- it was a gift. A little girl -- " He quickly tried to cover up with a story he was planning to spin as he avoided the truth, but he was quickly called out by Alfred.

 

"Shit lie, no way a little girl would come up to you with your terrifying face."

 

"I enjoy flowers too, Ludwig, appreciation for nature comes with age." Wang commented, trying to comfort, yet an amused smile stuck on his face too.

 

"I do agree with Yao, yes. Quite refreshing." Kirkland said, gaining his composure, a hand tugging his tie firmly to try and reinstate his position as older and wiser, Wang's dead stare fixed on him in silent shame at the quick shift in attitude.

 

"I'm not -- I don't like flowers. Just -- everyone shut up, we need to meet about the state of the marketing department, I was briefed yesterday and -- just go round everyone up so we can start this thing." Ludwig's hand hid his face for a moment as the three men walked out too slowly, the threat to his youth and or masculinity dizzying in its quickness to disarm him of his previous office building disposition.

 

Eliza laid back in the office chair -- the last man standing -- swaying side to side with her legs folded neatly over each other as she stared up at Ludwig, a small smile forming as she spoke, reassuringly.

 

"I think it's kind of cute."

 

His hand fell from his face and his frown didn't budge as he stared down at the woman until her next thoughts slipped from her lips.

 

"From a lover?"

 

His eyes widened, not expecting the blow to come at a time like this, but with Eliza, being a close friend -- practically family -- he should have known to prepare. A familiar heat rose to his cheeks.

 

 _A lover_.

 

No, but...

 

"I'll take that as a yes." Eliza swung her seat back around to properly face the table with a knowing chuckle, Ludwig's mouth opening to say something until he saw the small clutter of people come into view of the room's glass wall and his words became a low rumble in his throat.

 

One more person to know him as hopelessly lovesick.

 

~

 

Ludwig shoved open his house door and slunk over to his couch, immediately throwing his overcoat on the coffee table and loosening his tie, staring blankly at the rug under his feet for a moment to think over his current state. He was hopeless, and Eliza knew it now. And of course she'd tell Roderich, and Roderich couldn't keep his mouth shut for anything. And if she'd managed to get a picture, oh God. He twisted the stem of the flower in between his fingers, watching it twirl in a dance of his creation. He wanted to see Feliciano dance, the way he moved and walked -- his dancing was likely something to witness.

 

And again, he admitted he was hopeless.

 

Upon getting closer to the couch, he realized a ratty blanket had been thrown over a person sized mound. Meaning his older brother was home.

 

"Gil, get up."

 

Ludwig shook his brother, not sparing any gentleness for him, and the cranky dark-eyed man rose onto his elbows slowly, glaring at Ludwig like he was a suspect of theft. Theft of his sleep.

 

"Whaat." Gilbert dragged out his words harshly, pulled the covers over his head and turned to face the back of the couch, visible strands of the platinum hair feathering the arm of the couch. Ludwig sat beside him at the edge of his feet then, looking towards the open window at the entrance of the house before speaking.

 

"Eliza knows."

 

The covers were thrown over onto Ludwig's lap as he flinched away from his brother who had sprung up and towards Ludwig in a heartbeat, hang gripping the top of the couch to steady himself. His expression was easily readable and similar to what it usually was -- hungry excitement.

 

"What, you told her! Aw man, everyone's gunna' know about your little boy crush now!" He seemed to revel in Ludwig's misfortune and misery, and Ludwig honestly didn't know how his brother had become his confidant in the matter, but here he was.

 

"Calm down! She thinks I have a lover," Ludwig's stare returned to the flower in his palm, petals curling and becoming discolored at this point, "She doesn't know who."

 

Gil cackled sharply, leaning down to look up through pale eyelashes at his brother, "Doesn't matter, everyone will know. Probably everyone in a 50 mile radius. Hopefully no one she knows knows your cute little friend or else."

 

Ludwig choked a bit, he hadn't thought of any consequence regarding Feliciano.

 

"Or else what?"

 

"What do you mean ' _Or else what_ '?! You can kiss your hope goodbye if he thinks you have a lover already!"

 

Hope? He hadn't really had any hope until Eliza mentioned it before. _A lover_. He'd just wanted to catch Feliciano's eye and talk to him and see him more often. But was that all? Did he want a real relationship? His heart picked up.

 

"There's no way he could hear about it."

 

Gilbert gave him his patented _Are You Sure About That?_ quirk of the eyebrows and stretch of the mouth. He wasn't.

 

"What you need to do is make a move, go up to him and ask him out, steal a kiss, something!"

 

"A kiss!" Ludwig was flustered talking about Feliciano like this, in his head he could be much more confident about the situation and how he went about things, but outside it stirred a whirlwind of emotions. It just felt real, tangible and completely in his grasp. His voice raised without him knowing it.

 

"I've only met him three times!"

 

"And you haven't stopped talking about him since! If you can fall head over heels with three looks, so can he." Gil's finger pressed against his chest, an attempt to force the information into him with a jab. It worked, sort of, Ludwig didn't find the idea completely foreign -- it made sense.

 

"A-Alright. I... I can try." Ludwig held his hand closed over the memento tightly. Everything seemed to be thrown into motion, fast forwarding through so many steps Ludwig had read that relationships were supposed to go through. But it also seemed like a critical time to make a critical choice, and maybe that wasn't a bad thing. _Wouldn't_ be a bad thing.

 

Gilbert, leaning back and grinning somewhat wickedly, folded his arms behind his head.

 

"Right, the worst he can do is leave you soul-shattered on the side of the street wishing for freedom from the burning embarrassment of rejection."

 

Ludwig glared at his brother, questioning what side of the fence he was actually on.


	3. I Really Like You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ludwig tries really hard .

The smell of wood and honey came and his heart wouldn't slow down. He was sure he looked a mess.

 

It was Saturday, the day after he'd given Elizaveta the inkling that he was in a relationship and the day after Gilbert had told him to go for it.

 

Gilbert had dressed him up. Ludwig was planning on going in a tuxedo, or at least a suit -- he'd read somewhere to dress to impress, though he wasn't sure if it was in a dating book or not -- but Gil had scraped the idea and dressed him in casual clothes: a simple white T-shirt and jeans. He felt strange wearing something so different when Feliciano hadn't seen him in anything but stiff suits, the fact that he felt so hot ebbing the worry away -- the suit would make him 10 times more uncomfortable than he already was.

 

He didn't have anything in his hand either, he wanted to be able to give him something like a ring or some flowers, but again, Gil had stopped him saying he was asking him out, not marrying him and that flowers were a dumb cliché. Along with the fact that he had his own variety of flowers to pick from.

 

He was still nervous, he was going to just ask him out. A date.

 

The idea did not excite him in the slightest. Ludwig was a confident man in many ways -- he was confident in his work ethic, he was confident in his cleanliness, he was very confident in his exercising, and thus his body.

 

He was not confident in dating.

 

And that was if he could even get a date.

 

And if he got the date, would he even be able to handle it? He would probably scare him off.

 

There were just too many bad ideas surrounding this whole joke. There was no way Feliciano would accept his invitation. He should just give up. But the beating in his heart as Feliciano rounded the corner, bouncing from foot to foot cheerily, didn't really support the act of thinking. When Feliciano's eyes caught Ludwig's, he waved an arm and made a beeline towards him with a large smile on his lips and Ludwig felt the panic start to rush in.

 

He stopped a few steps in front of Ludwig and saluted him playfully.

 

"Ciao, Luddy! Your hair..." Feliciano's eyes glazed over for a second, and his smile noticeably faltered for a heartbeat. Ludwig quickly ran a hand through the hair that Gil had persuaded him to not slick back to commit to his causal look. Now, he was wishing he hadn't with the look on Feliciano's face.

 

"Ah, does it look bad?" He sounded like a silly schoolgirl asking that question, especially how it came out -- shyly, with his head ducked and turned towards the sidewalk more than towards the man he was speaking to.

 

Panic took over Feliciano's face, a nervous smile formed as he waved his hands defensively in front of him. "No, no, I think it makes you look really handsome!"

 

His usual grin reappeared as Ludwig sighed in relief, followed by a bashful "thank you" and a few more common niceties before Ludwig steeled himself, reading for his proposal.

 

Not an actual proposal, but close enough in Ludwig's head.

 

"I've never seen you out on a Saturday before, comfortable clothes really suit you."

 

Ah, it wasn't fair Feliciano could say all these things so normally and it still make Ludwig feel so anxiously happy -- like giving your parents a report card with good marks. All the sturdiness in him dissolved and he was a fidgety mess again. It was hard to keep reminding himself he wasn't a child with a crush -- he was a grown man and grown men should be able to smoothly ask other grown men out on dates.

 

"Feliciano, I --" He paused to stare down Feliciano in an unintentionally intimidating way, causing Feli to move backwards a step as he stared with growing fear back up to the much taller, more intimidating man, "I --!"

 

He grabbed Feliciano's hands firmly in his and the sudden pull made Feli squeak with furrowed brows as he looked from their hands back to the sharp eyes of the man holding his hands captive.

 

"W -- wha --"

 

"Please, go on a date with me!" He was bowing his head as he said it, loud enough to alarm anyone in the shops along the road or walking along the sidewalks.

 

"... Date?" The word was small on coming out Feliciano's mouth, confusion and concern riddling the syllable.

 

Had he sounded too desperate? Yes, definitely, but he wasn't known for being very eloquent. Especially not when he was stressed. At least it conveyed the message properly. He kept his head ducked, more out of fear than anything, and his hands were becoming hot and sweaty around Feliciano's. There was a few seconds of pause before Feliciano began laughing lightly, joyful.

 

Ludwig finally lifted his head some, enough to see through the messy drapes of his not-slicked-back hair and look at Feliciano. His eyes were pushed shut by his cheeks that stretched with the huge grin on his face. Pink dusted his cheeks and the tips of his ears and his shoulders were drawn up, lifted and pulled inward as they bounced with his laugh. Ludwig found the sight to be wholly breath-taking.

 

"A date! Of course I'll go on a date with you," Ludwig's face lit up at the acceptance, but didn't let himself smile -- it was only the first step of many, "I actually really like you."

 

He actually what.

 

Ludwig couldn't stop the sheepish grin forming on his mouth after that comment.


	4. Coffee and Tea

The ceiling above them was the perfect visual of the inside of Ludwig's chest right now. Lights strewn haphazardly across the plain tan orange peel texture, jumbled, almost cluttered, lighting every dark spot they could find with a gentle pink glow. 

  
They sat situated right on the edge of a wide window, the table a neat and warm oak wood, the seats stretching it's entire length and cushioned, pale red. Not many people were here since the place was pretty local, but some single souls were scattered around the cafe -- some couples, too. Ludwig wanted to catalog everything about the event, from the fluffed quality of Feliciano's shiny maple hair made more visible by the light from the window passing through it to the way the air was cool and pleasant against his sticky skin in the shop.

   
It wasn't until after Feliciano had said yes to the date that he realized he didn't know where to take him or how to take him or what to do. Hearing that Feliciano really liked him had factory reset his brain and he swore he'd had a goofy smile on his face for a whole minute before Feliciano had broken him out of it, pointing to the building across the street.

   
We can go there, I'll meet you back here at 3.

  
And now it was 3, and they were sitting across from each other. 

  
The waitress had came as soon as they entered and Feliciano immediately began ordering, leaning back in his seat and with a delicate grace flitting through the thin menu just to make sure he was getting the best drink. Very unlike Ludwig, who sat stiffly staring down the pages in hopes something would grab his attention before the waitress turned to him.

  
Feliciano paused, and the waitress shifted to her left where Ludwig sat.

  
Shit.

  
"And what can I get for you?"

  
Feliciano had already given up his menu, so Ludwig quickly closed his and handed it to the lady as if he knew what he wanted or a single thing on it for that matter.

   
"Um, I'll have a water."

  
The sound of Feliciano whining softly traveled across the table.

  
"Luddy, that's so boring! Can you get him an iced caramel macchiato, too?"

  
The lady scribbled it down on the little pad in her hand and looked up at the two once she was done, smiling a youthful worker's smile.

  
"Alright, a mango tea, water, and a caramel macchiato. Can I get you two anything else?"

   
Feliciano shook his head and the waitress nodded and promised they'd quickly receive their drinks before heading to another table. Ludwig watched silently as Feliciano shifted away from the isle, leaning into the table and towards Ludwig with a sweet smile on butterfly lips.

   
"Feliciano, you didn't have to -- "

   
"Call me Feli, aren't we on a date?"

   
His straightforwardness and obvious joy behind his words made Ludwig flush once more, coughing into his hand before nodding.

   
"Right --, Feli. You didn't have to order for me, I'm capable of doing that by myself."

   
Of course, the words came out harsher than he meant them to. He just wanted Feliciano to know he could make his own choices — be a cool, independent, confident man. Feliciano didn't really seem to mind the tone and just puffed out his cheeks in disapproval.

 

"We're on a date, we should be having fun and enjoying life — water is not fun."

 

Ludwig didn't think water lacked any more entertaining factors than any other beverage, aside from alcohol, but didn't have the nerve to go against the man anymore and simply nodded.

 

A few brief moments, jittery and uncomfortable, passed between the two as they looked into each other's eyes, waiting for the other to speak or feeling out the atmosphere, before Feliciano's head tilted in question and a small hum escaped his throat. It didn't make any sense to Ludwig that a grown man could be so attractive and beautiful.

 

"S-so, you um, sell flowers during the weekend too?"

 

That was Ludwig's attempt at making conversation with the man he admittedly and begrudgingly knew very little about. He was genuinely interested in the gentle sort of occupation Feliciano took up, but was also generally just very choppy and awkward when making any attempts to be alluring. Because that was something he simply was not.

 

"Ah, my flowers," Feliciano seemed to bloom before him, pressing his hands together tightly with a full grin, "Yes, through the weekend along with Monday and Friday. It's mostly just to catch people's eye so they come to the shop later on. I'm kind of like a walking advertisement."

 

He laughed lightly and Ludwig laughed with him, Feliciano's natural light-heartedness steadily unfurling the knots in his shoulders.

 

"A shop? I didn't even know, I thought you just sold flowers independently."

 

"No, I could never. Mio fratello," He paused, giggled in apology, and quickly continued, "My brother and his boyfriend run the flower shop further up and away from the beach area of town. I guess I'm not doing the advertising thing very well if you didn't know that."

 

He placed a hand on the back of his head, his disappointment or embarrassment at the failure not obvious in anything but his words as he kept a cheery tone and expression.

 

Before Ludwig could respond, an arm reached across the table, blocking his view of Feliciano momentarily and drawing his eyes upwards to the waitress from before. She smiled while placing the light pink drink in front of Feliciano and then moved to put down the coffee and water from the grey trey she carried.

 

"Hope you two enjoy."

 

And it wasn't until Feliciano was raving about how good his drink was that Ludwig realized he was actually eager to continue their conversation and say something. More often than not, he would sit and listen or think or despair in having to sit through the incessant noises spewing out of people's throat. Now he wanted to speak — and not simply to gently suggest that the accompanying party shut up like he was very prone to doing.

 

He was so enamored, it was sickening.

 

They went on like that for actual hours, Feliciano carrying most of the conversation that drifted around family roots — he was born in Venice, Italy and mostly grew up there until he moved to Spain, then here at their little coast town — to his favorite food — any and all types of pasta. A good hour was probably spent on all the food the caramel accented man loved. Still, the time flowed like nothing with neither of then stopping a beat to notice the dimming sky until the café was completely empty and closing shop.

 

Ludwig was thoroughly embarrassed at having to be told the store was closing, always the diligent and aware one, while Feliciano laughed it off and gave a swift apology before moving out of the café with Ludwig in tow.

 

A different waiter than the one that had seated the two was the one to remind them of time and the one to see them out and flip the open sign on the door once they were safely out of the door and planted to the sidewalk.

 

Ludwig let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing his thumb and index finger nervously as he turned from the locked door they'd just exited to Feliciano, who was staring up at him. There was something sparkling in his eyes, Ludwig thought a second before the streetlights flashed on, and he turned his attention quickly to the sky.

 

"It's not that dark yet," Feliciano pulled out his phone — a phone Ludwig didn't even know he'd brought, which was a very good thing, "Only 6 30."

 

Ludwig let out a quick, breathy laugh, "Can you believe we've been talking for so long?"

 

Feliciano smiled, stuffing the phone back into his pocket.

 

"No, not at all. Time flies when you're having fun, huh?" He skipped away from Ludwig momentarily to stretch his arms out above his head, turning his head at Ludwig's still figure before beckoning him.

 

He approached carefully, staying a safe distance away from the man and analyzing his movements to see what he was supposed to do now. They'd talked for over three hours, laughed, shared a lot, had a good time. What now?

 

Feliciano let a small laugh out under his breath before quickly rectifying the excess space between them with a long stride forward, holding both of his hands out to Ludwig.

 

"Your phone, so I can put my number in it."

 

Ludwig's eyes widened and he quickly wrestled his phone out of his pocket before putting the large device in Feliciano's hands with very little grace, but a lot of delicacy. It was a quick process, and Ludwig was soon gifted his phone with Feli's number in it back and Feliciano swirled around.

 

"Thanks for the date —"

 

He wasn't even allowed to finish his sentence before Ludwig had grabbed his wrist, careful not to squeeze or tug, stopping him while speaking in an exasperated rush.

 

"Wait, let me walk you home, it's getting dark."

 

Feliciano couldn't stop smiling with this man, he was something else.

 

"It's not even that dark yet. I'm an adult! I can walk home by myself."

 

He said it playfully, bringing up two very good points,  but the worry nor the desperation had left Ludwig's face.

 

"You're going back to the flower shop — Molbury Rd, right? The sun is already ready to set and that's a nice walk away. Just let me walk you home, please."

 

The plea was heard loud and clear. Feliciano didn't really want the date to end just as much as Ludwig, so he smiled and let the man walk him home. It was a quiet and warm walk. Just as Ludwig had predicted, the sun set before they got to the shop and Feliciano had stopped to stare at the cream colored clouds dip into the warm hues of the sky and watched the color evaporate into nothing as the scene ended and all that remained was night.

 

There was something there again — Ludwig tried to connect the dots, but again the moment fleeted and they were walking again, side by side. Conversation rolled on under the now convenient street lights until they reached the front of his house — the flower shop. The windows that covered the building were mostly lit, bright in the night and distracting to the eye. The brightness of the inside hid some of the exterior details under the dark sky, but a second floor light caught on the shiny letters of a sign above the arch of the door — Florence — along with the edges of an abundance of flower's petals below the raised patio of the entrance. The porch light lit up the entirety of the patio and most of the wooden steps leading up to it and Feliciano made a small chirping noise once they made it to the base of the short staircase.

 

He hopped up a few steps and turned back to look Ludwig in the eyes as he spoke.

 

"Thank you, for walking me home and the wonderful date."

 

Ludwig blushed, letting himself change color freely knowing that the light hid most of it, hopefully.

 

"Of course. Thanks for not running — I mean, for accepting my invitation in the first place. You made the date wonderful."

 

Feliciano laughed openly again, and Ludwig was happy he got to hear it once more before the night was officially over.

 

"You should come by the shop sometime. It's really much better than anything from my little cart — my brother's boyfriend is a really good musician, too."

 

"I'll take you up on that offer sometime soon, then, but I find the idea that it's better than you and your cart very hard to believe."

 

He couldn't tell if Feliciano's cheeks went red or not, but soon enough his face was brushing past Ludwig's as he leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on Ludwig's cheek.

 

"A presto, Luddy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ cue Ludwig literally dying ]


	5. The Beast in Beauty

Jesus, Ludwig never wished he'd studied Italian more in his life. He'd repeated the sweet words Feliciano had told him in his head long enough for him to make it down the street and start furiously typing it into his phone for a translation.

_See you soon._

Feliciano wanted to see him again, he hadn't screwed it up — the date was a success.

Ludwig flipped around in his bed a few more times, staring at Feliciano's contact. He'd typed it in as _Feli ♡_ and that alone had been enough to make Ludwig's heart skip a beat or two — now he actually had to text him. Or should he wait until morning? He flipped around some more before throwing himself upwards and out of his room to go the living room where his brother liked to sleep regardless of how many empty rooms were in the house.

Maybe he'd seen him on the couch, but he'd been too distracted by his thoughts when he walked in to be certain. A quick peek into the living room confirmed it — Gilbert was sleeping not so soundly, arm hanging off the edge of the couch and leg hung over the back.

"Wake up."

Gilbert's growling snores fell to a whistle and he blankly answered back without shifting or opening his eyes.

"No."

Ludwig sat on an adjacent loveseat and slouched, phone in hand.

"I need your help — it's about Feliciano."

One crimson eye peeled open curiously, yawning before his mouth fell into a scowl again.

"Continue."

Ludwig stared down deeply at Feliciano's empty chat screen on his phone.

"Should I text him?"

Gilbert bolted up, throwing the blanket that was already halfway off his body completely to the floor. He braced himself against the arm of the couch with heavy fear and shock on his face.

"You got his number?!"

"Yes, I got his number, why are you so surprised — you're the one who told me to go for it!"

Gil leaned back into the couch and looked up to the ceiling, half of a nervous smile on his face.

"Right, I _did_. Text him..." Gilbert paused, bringing his hand to his chin in thought before clapping his hand to his thigh with a sharp sound of realization.

"Text him right now! You've gotta' make sure he didn't give you a fake!"

Ludwig paled completely, staring a hole into Feli's name at the top of the chat before looking up into his brother's eyes.

"You really think... ?"

"Of course I think, give me that!" Gil moved over to where Ludwig sat and snatched the phone from his brother's grasp, "I've got irresistible charm and tack on my side, watch and learn."

There was much protest on Ludwig's part, but Gilbert's foot was basically stone pushed against Ludwig's tired chest in order to keep him pinned to his seat.

A few yells of protest, punches, and keyboard clicks later and Gilbert dropped the phone in Ludwig's lap. He pushed his brother away from him as he thoroughly examined the text.

Or the _texts_.

The _horrendous_ texts.

\- Hey bb boy  
\- That date was awesome, can't wait to go on another one ;)  
\- By the way, this is Luddy, txt me back whenever <3

He wanted to throw the phone in the garbage and simply give up on going outside or seeing anyone else for the rest of his life after seeing the texts on the screen.

"You think _this_ is something good to send after a first date?! _This_?! Brother, I will _kill_ — "

The sound of his phone dinging from his cold iron grip immediately loosened his hands and caused his eyes to fall to the reply from Feli instead of the cowering Gil who was peeking out from behind the couch.

\- hi luddy! I can't wait either you should come over and check out the shop tomorrow if you're not busy  
\- I think my brother would like you but he's yelling at me for coming home so late right now so I'll talk to you tomorrow hopefully! Goodnight <3

Gil had inched his way to Ludwig's shoulder by the fourth time he was rereading the message. A victorious smirk found it way to Gilbert's face as he huffed and crosses his arms.

"I told you — irresistible charm."

As soon as an opening presented itself, Ludwig punched Gil not so lightly on his arm. Gil visibly winced while hissing and huffed in frustration as he scurried to the kitchen.

Ludwig glared after him until he was free to look nervously over the messages again. He was excited, but definitely scared — an emotion he didn't feel the need to experience very often.

~

His hair was a casual mess again and he was standing against the fence that started along the front of the neighboring property.

Florence looked a lot more like a shop during the day and felt a lot less home-y. Ludwig hadn't noticed exactly how much vegetation engulfed the house last night, it made it look more like art Ludwig didn't really understand the meaning of. The flowers hiding under the building's deck and lining the side of the stairs up to the door were bright, assuming colors — reds, golden oranges, violets. Vines hugged the wooden railing of the stairs and the pillars on the porch. Even through the glass and into the shop, one could see the flowers peeking out with accompanying flower boxes outside and below all the windows. A soft tune was playing in the air, presumably from the shop, too.

It made him feel out of place, rough comparatively and maybe too poorly dressed. But if Ludwig wasn't wearing a suit he always felt underdressed. Being outside and simply standing around didn't help the discomfort.

Apparently, Feliciano didn't get up early unless he was out peddling his flowers, so when Ludwig text him saying he had surprised him by coming over this morning Feliciano sent out a series of texts conveying his dismay about just waking up and promising he would get ready quickly. Of course he had looked up the shop by name and made sure he didn't come before it opened, but he failed to consider the importance of time conventions to the man.

The air was becoming less sticky and more dry these days — or as dry as it could get so close to the water. Two kids padding along the sidewalk turned the corner with ice cream cones in hand, holding hands innocently. It made him somewhat bitterly nostalgic, reminding him of small sweet things like the sky in Germany, the wispy way the wind moved the leaves. Sweet shades of green everywhere. Small pieces of youth.

In the middle of his sigh, he felt fingers curl around his arms and air blow across his neck. His breath hitched and he quickly turned to see Feli, pale yellow T-shirt that went down the middle of his thigh with light worn shorts barely peeking out from underneath them. The hair still flying around his head was a testament to his sudden rising. He looked cute today, too. Sexy actually, though Ludwig was drowning the thoughts out whilst still preserving mental images of Feli's legs.

"Boo." Feliciano almost whispered, throwing out his hands with a huge smile on his face.

"Feli, I respond to hi, you know."

"That was a good look on your face, though. Don't you like surprises?"

Ludwig sighed — because no, he generally didn't like surprises, though this one wasn't one he was particularly opposed to — and Feli laughed and grabbed his hand, eager to show him the inside of the shop.

Ludwig was pulled up the stairs and practically flung into the building. Like the outside, flowers were strewn across the space — in a more organized fashion, though.

Rows of color-coded roses were in glass vases along one wall in a gradient. One of the very few flowers Ludwig could recognize — peonies — were both next to the entrance in a variety of baskets on top of a repurposed step ladder and on the checkout counter in an assortment with tiny white flowers.

So it looked even more like art from the inside, and Ludwig sorely stuck out from the aesthetic.

The music that he could faintly hear from outside had gotten closer and louder now because the source was in plain sight; a tan man with wavy brown hair styled messily was sitting by a long window in a cushioned chair, shiny alder wood guitar in hand.

There was a gradual disappearance of the sweet music as the man's hands slowed and halted over the guitar's strings, looking up to meet Ludwig's eyes.

Ludwig sturdily walked over and shook the man's hand. He reciprocated, but chuckled at the gesture.

Shining green eyes pierced their way into Ludwig, then peered over his shoulder to look to Feli with a playful smirk.

"Quite the gentleman you've brought in, Feli."

Feli grinned back at him, taking up the place beside Ludwig and opening his mouth to begin speaking when a loud thud and shattering sound came from above-head. Everyone recoiled naturally, and Feli visibly flinched when yelled curses started flying.

"What the fuck, Feli. I'm gunna' whoop your ass when I get down —"

The sailor-mouthed man came into view from a barely visible flight of stairs inside a semi-closed off area in the far corner of the room. His hair was styled similarly to Feli's, but less messy and a few shades darker. His skin was also very slightly more tan, but that was about it as far as differences went. It was actually quite startling to see the man emerge with that kind of expression on Feli's face.

"Lovi —"

"Ah, no excuses this time! I told you to —"

Feli's supposed twin stopped his approach when he finally recognized that the sorely out of place Ludwig was present. His expression didn't change much though, he just raised a finger and squinted his eyes.

"Who the hell is this?"

As per Ludwig's custom, he stuck his hand out and offered it to the man who kept a safe distance away.

"Ludwig, nice to meet you. You must be Feli's brother."

The man's scowl only intensified as he looked at the much larger man like he were a stain.

"Yes, I'm his brother, the hell does it look like? And what the hell is your accent? You some sorta' potato-muncher? Why are you calling my brother so familiarly, huh? Call him by his full name or don't call him anything, you don't know him. If you want flowers, buy them and _get the hell out bastard_."

Ludwig's still outstretched hand along with the rest of him froze.

_What the hell._

Feli moved quickly, grabbing his brother's hand and pulling it to Ludwig's, forcing the touch. He nervously held them together and shook them himself.

"Ah, Ludwig this is Lovino — my brother. Lovi, this is —"

"Some weird potato bastard, I know." Lovino snatched his hand away from Ludwig's, caressing his hand to his chest as if Ludwig's touch had burned him.

"Aw, Lovi," The forest eyed man in the comfortable chair leaned his instrument along the wall as he stood up, making his way to Lovino's side, "You're going to scare the poor guy away like that."

"Well, we don't need flirty German bastards coming around and causing problems anyway."  
Lovino huffed, crossed his arms, gave both Feliciano and Ludwig sharp glares, then stormed off back upstairs.

The guitar man trailed after him, apologetic smiles frequenting his expression before he was out of sight too.

Ludwig was stunned, staring towards the stairs where the men had disappeared. His mouth hung slightly open for a moment, unsure of what to say or how to form coherent thoughts.

"No, no!” Feli's grabbed Ludwig's hands, making him face Feli who had the same apologetic look the man with the guitar offered, "He doesn't hate you, that's just..."

Feli looked away, unsure of what he wanted to  
say with a troubled hesitance shrouding his features.

"He'll warm up to you. I'm sorry."

However much Ludwig was shocked, Feliciano seemed much worse off from the encounter and just seeing Feli with such a dull look on his face was weighing on him.

Comforting wasn't his forte, but he could try.

Ludwig pulled a hand from Feliciano's loose grip and placed it on his shoulder, giving it a few solid pats.

"It's OK, as long as he doesn't attack me there's nothing to worry about —"

Feli pushed away from the hand and moved into his chest, wrapping his arms around Ludwig's torso.

"I want a hug."

Ludwig froze again, not sure what to do. It wasn't normal to suddenly just hug someone, was it? What was he supposed to do in response? He brought his hand to Feli's back very carefully and placed another good sequence of pats before he heard Feli sigh airly and start rubbing his head against Ludwig's chest.

"So _warm_ ~"

A noticeable redness came to his cheeks as he became even more nervous. He wanted to yell at him about normal human behavior, or scold him for hugging an almost stranger so easily, but he wasn't sure if he was dealing with a man or a cat anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once you hug you’re basically dating now lol .


End file.
